Germany, Italy bet on Tip

A new Italian-German preschool cartoon based on the European children’s book Tip the Mouse has gone into development, with a major broadcaster already attached.

German media and brand management firm M4E has hooked up with Tip (aka Topo Tip) publisher Giunti Editore and Italy’s Studio Bozzetto & Co, Studio Campedelli and pubcaster Rai’s production arm Rai Fiction to produce the CGI show.

Italian author Andrea Dami created the Tip series, which is aimed at 3-7s. The books have sold across Europe but are most successful in Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. In the latter two territories, it is known as Leo Lausemaus.

The stories, which follow a mouse who lives with his family in a small house on the edge of a wood, aim to encourage children to explore their surroundings.

“I am totally convinced we can build a sustainable international preschool brand, when looking at the popularity and success that the books already have,” said M4E CEO Hans Urich Stoef.